What is the difference between "今日" and "きょう"?

"今日" means "today" (N5), whereas "きょう" represents "today" (N5).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "きょう (kyou)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

きょう (kyou)

N5 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

きょう (kyou)

N5 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "きょう (kyou)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

今日 (Level: N5): Translates to "today" and is used when Refers to the current day. Used for events or plans happening on the present day..
きょう (Level: N5): Maps to "today" and carries the nuance of Used to refer to the current day. Can be written as 今日. Often used with です.

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "今日"

今日はいい天気ですね。

The weather is good today, isn't it?

Bilingual Context for "きょう"

きょうはいい天気です。

Today is good weather.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: " ＿＿＿はいい天気ですね。" (Meaning: "The weather is good today, isn't it?")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "今日" is used for "today" in the context: "The weather is good today, isn't it?".